Like a Midnight Thief
by SetsuntaMew
Summary: Or, "The Adventures of Sparkle, the Best Eevee Ever," By Judal, Escaped Experiment, Age 21. [a pokemon au]
1. Chapter 1

I wanted to write a small drabble about Judal loving his Eevee a whole lot and spoiling it rotten, and then...this...happened... So! Welcome to my chaptered juhaku pokemon au, I hope you all have a good time! and I've included their pokemon & nicknames at the beginning :D

Judal's Pokemon:  
Sparkle the Eevee  
Leg the Murkrow  
Sniffles the Sneasel  
Napkin the Mimikyu

Hakuryuu's Pokemon:  
Bloom the Gloom  
Lumos the Lampent  
Trochlea the Cubone  
Zagan the Phantump  
Belior Zauto the Honedge

* * *

Judal pats Sparkle on the head and fishes around in his bag for another pokepuff. He's such a spoiled fat little baby, curled up against a leg begging for treats. Shit, he thinks he's down to the plainest ones, but they'll have to to do. He can't always feed him the best stuff.

He offers up a chocolate one only for Sparkle to turn up his nose. "What, you aren't hungry?"

Enthusiastic head shaking, followed by Sparkle trying to get his face inside Judal's bag. He has to pull it away from him and frowns.

"Oh," Judal says, pieces clicking together. "You think I'm keeping the good stuff from you? Tough cookies, buddy, we're out, and we ain't anywhere near a town. You're gonna have to learn to deal or be hungry."

A pause, and Sparkle reaches for the pokepuff. "Yeah, that's what I thought. You're too fat to turn down food."

Judal works some of the knots out of his fur when he's done eating, combing his tail until it's soft and fluffy again. "You know, I'm pretty sure you're supposed to be able to clean this yourself."

"Are you talking to your Eevee again?" Hakuryuu asks, pushing a tree branch out of the way to join them in the clearing. He's got a bag of food, probably scavenged from the forest, and Judal groans at the thought of eating bitter roots and weird vegetables again. Someday they'll finally be free of the fucking wilderness.

"His name is Sparkle, Hakuryuu. Just because you're too lame to appreciate my naming skills doesn't mean you can ignore it," Judal tells him, grinning. "And of course I'm talking to him! We're friends, aren't we little buddy?" He holds his hand up in front of Sparkle and waves it a bit until his eyes widen and he hits it with his paw.

Hakuryuu just shakes his head and sits next to them on the ground. "I just can't quite believe you're serious about it."

"Look, you can admit it. You're jealous of the bond we have, _and_ you're embarrassed because you named your Oddish _Bloom_."

"Well if that's how you feel about her, I guess you can eat pokepuffs for dinner with Sparkle instead of what we brought back. I mean, if he hasn't eaten all the pokepuffs already."

Judal glances down to see Sparkle with his entire head in his bag, happily chowing down on the treats inside. "Oh, hey, hey hey hey! You can't eat all of those! You big fatass!"

He can hear Hakuryuu laughing as he pulls Sparkle out of the bag, pokepuff crumbs all over his nose. "You're a menace!" Sparkle chirps happily and he can't keep from ruffling the fur on his head.

Hakuryuu hands him a pecha berry. "I know they're supposed to be for Pokemon, but I heard they're safe. And taste like peaches."

He snatches it away. "Shit, it could be poison, and I'd eat it. I'm so tired of the other shitty vegetables you've been bringing back."

"I'm glad you're so grateful."

Judal shrugs and leans against Hakuryuu as he chows down. They're at a weird in between state, no longer enemies and barely past uneasy allies, but they've still got the familiarity that comes from a lifelong friendship. It's not bad. It's better than the past few years, and Judal is just happy to his best friend back in his life.

Sparkle curls up in his lap, finally contented and full of food, and Judal absentmindedly pets him while he eats. Hakuryuu has plans for when they reach the next town, to keep a low profile and try to see how much an influence his mother has on the locals, but-

"What do you mean we can't buy anything there?"

"Most of our funds were on our cards. You know, the ones linked to my family? And we've run out of cash," Hakuryuu explains.

Judal groans loud enough that Sparkle growls. "I want to actually lay down in a bed again someday...maybe eat warm food? Get actual potions again instead of scrounging for berries that half my Pokemon won't even eat…"

"It's not my fault that all your pokemon are as picky as you!"

"Leg isn't picky!" Judal whines.

"You never let her battle," he says. "And she's a Murkrow! She'll eat anything."

"She's delicate," he says, hand drifting to the luxury ball on his belt. "I don't want another experience like in Celadon City."

Hakuryuu pauses, and his expression softens. "I know you'd never let anyone else throw rocks at her."

Judal shakes his head. "Yeah, but I still worry."

They lapse into a comfortable silence, Hakuryuu carefully mapping out their trip to avoid notice while Judal tries to sort through his bag. It's getting heavy to carry, especially now that they've been keeping off the main routes. Maybe he doesn't need some of the crap he has stashed in it…

Shit, he doesn't even remember what half these TMs do. Why did he bring them along instead of something more useful? He's pretty sure if he boots them up they'll have descriptions, but what could he possibly want to do with all of them? Fuck his bad planning.

"Don't toss those," Hakuryuu says. "I can see you thinking about it. If all else fails, we could sell some of them for quick cash."

"Oh, good plan. Is that why I packed them in the first place?"

Hakuryuu nods. "I think you have an HM or two in there too. You were looting everyone's stuff at the base."

"So I was!" Judal laughs and shoves them back in his bag. "Man, I'm glad I've got you to remember these things for me."

The moon casts a murky light on them as it rises, a small bit of brightness in the pitch black of the deep forest. Even when sneaking around for Al Tharman, Judal has never had to hide out this much. It's not fun, but it could be worse, he guesses.

"Lumos," Hakuryuu says softly, and there's a soft whoosh as the Lampent leaves his ball, throwing a soft glow on the clearing. Judal raises an eyebrow but doesn't complain; Hakuryuu wouldn't do it if he thought it would give away their location.

"I'm still looking over things," Hakuryuu explains.

He shrugs. "I'm too hyped up to sleep tonight. Doesn't bother me."

"You should at least try."

"Nah, I can tell it's not gonna work. If Lumos is gonna be out for awhile I'm gonna doodle some," he says, pulling his sketchbook out. Can he surreptitiously draw Hakuryuu? Maybe. He's gonna do it either way, though.

Judal doesn't notice Hakuryuu falling asleep. He's moved onto sketching Sparkle, the shadows from Lumos making it a pain in the ass to see all the texture of his fur. It's a good challenge. It's not until Hakuryuu starts snoring, half leaned up against a tree, that he realizes.

"Oh, Hakuryuu," he whispers. It's cute, in its own way. "Come on Lumos, back in the ball," he says quietly, herding him back in before carefully putting the ball back in Hakuryuu's bag.

"You too, Sparkle." His request his met with an annoyed chirp, and he shakes his head. "I know you don't like it, but we're all gonna try to get some sleep, alright? I'll give you a treat in the morning if you go without any more complaints."

Sparkle eyes him suspiciously, but eventually goes back in his ball. Judal pulls Hakuryuu's coat out of his bag and puts it over him, tucking him in the best he can. Even if he's not going to get any sleep doesn't mean he wants Hakuryuu and their Pokemon to suffer.

He watches the stars and the moon cross the sky and drifts off just as the first hints of sun begin to warm the horizon.

x･x･x

Hakuryuu pulls them back into the trees and mouths "quiet." Judal can't help but peer around him and suck in a breath. Shit. He'd recognize Al Tharman's uniform anywhere. They're not quite close enough to hear, unfortunately, and he doesn't think they can get any closer without getting caught.

Judal jerks his head back the way they came, further into the woods and away from the small gathering, and Hakuryuu grabs his wrist as they go. He takes lead, watching for anything that could make a noise, and they pick their way through the trees. Judal brings up the rear, careful not to disturb any of the roosting Fletchlings. The last thing they need to do is bring attention to themselves.

It feels like hours later - even if Hakuryuu insists it wasn't quite that long - when they can finally breathe freely, far enough away that they don't have to worry.

"I can't fucking believe this," Judal whines. "We're in the middle of nowhere! I've never been so far from civilization! I don't know what they're doing out here."

"Nothing good," Hakuryuu says, sighing. "I guess that way is out of the picture, then. I'll have to come up with a different route for us."

"I'm going a bit further."

"Judal, please-" Hakuryuu starts.

"I'm not angry. There's just a stream up ahead," he explains, tossing out Sparkle's pokeball. At least his happy chirp is grounding. He doesn't know if Hakuryuu is following him, but right now he's just so frustrated that he needs to blow off steam somewhere. Hakuryuu can catch up later or not.

Judal lays on an outcropping of rocks overlooking the stream, one eye on Sparkle as he plays with the water. He keeps poking it with a paw and then jumping back, as if he didn't expect the water to actually be wet. What a silly Eevee.

He's half dozing when a shadow blocks out the light on his face. Judal groans. "Sparkle, if you're going to put your wet paws on my face, I have some disappointing fuckin news for you buddy- Oh. Hey, Hakuryuu."

"Can I sit with you?"

"Uh. Sure," Judal says, pushing himself up to a proper sitting position. Sparkle whines when his legs move, disrupting where he's sleeping. Ah, at least he's not soaking wet. Good boy.

Hakuryuu sits down, all awkward energy. "Thank you."

"Look, I'm not gonna hold your hand. I'm not mad," Judal tries to explain, only for Hakuryuu to cut him off.

"I know you're not mad at me, but I am sorry. I didn't mean to lead us into trouble, and I know you don't want to go back to-"

"Yeah. Neither of us do," he says before Hakuryuu can elaborate. He's been trying not to think about what they're running from, and seeing Al Tharman members again has long repressed memories creeping back into his head.

Hakuryuu fidgets. "I know. I know. It's just that I'm supposed to be the one keeping us safe."

"Hakuryuu, you're not a mind reader. If you're just here to beat yourself up over it I'm gonna go back to sleep, okay?"

"I'm not! I was just- Look. I'm trying to be more open with you, since we're in this together, and I wanted to let you know that I'll try harder in the future. That's all."

Judal digs into his bag, finally finding a crushed pokepuff. "Here. Give this to Sparkle. He'll love you enough to cuddle and you won't be able to feel bad then."

Hakuryuu takes it. "You're terrible at talking about difficult things."

"Sure fucking am!" he says, laughing. "So don't do it. It's not gonna help anything."

He finally takes the hint and plays with Sparkle instead, tempting him into his lap with the pokepuff. Judal grins, reaching over to pet Sparkle too, and he can practically feel the joy in the air.

"Oh, you're really spoiled now, aren't you?" he says, skritching under his chin while Hakuryuu pets him. "You've got both of us fawning over you."

Sparkle chirps and looks at him expectantly. "Hell no, Hakuryuu just fed you. And it's gonna be a bit before we make it to town. Fatass."

"You should let Bloom out," Judal says, glancing over at Hakuryuu. "Since it's actually a sunny day for once."

He nods. "I feel bad, since I've been so stressed...I think she can tell, and she's been trying to help."

Judal grins. "Lemme guess, you ended up with a face full of sleep powder?"

"She means well," he says, pulling her pokeball out of his bag. "I just wish she wouldn't do...that."

He can't help but laugh. "Just cause she means well doesn't mean it isn't funny. I mean, I'm so sorry that happened to you Hakuryuu, your life is so tragic."

"Don't patronize me, you asshole," Hakuryuu says, smacking his shoulder. Sparkle sticks his nose up at Bloom's appearance and crawls onto Judal instead, shoving his head under a hand.

"Okay, okay, I'll pet you, you needy brat," he says. "Sorry Hakuryuu has his own Pokemon and can't spend his life spoiling you too."

Sparkle chirps and climbs up his arm, settling on draping around his neck. It's almost too warm with them sitting in the sun, but he ruffles Sparkle's fur anyway. Judal isn't one to move him once he's comfortable.

The sun dips lower as they sit, Judal calming down from the rush until he's too fidgety and anxious to sit still any longer.

"Time to move," he says, carefully moving Sparkle. There's an annoyed squeak as he calls him back into his pokeball, but Judal ignores it.

Hakuryuu glances over. "Right now?"

"Right now. We should find cover," Judal says, gesturing at the thick trees behind them. He can feel it in the air, in the quickly fleeing birds over head, that something isn't right. He pauses and then grabs Hakuryuu's hand, pulling them across the stream and into the trees on the other side.

They run as quietly as possible, Judal leading by instinct and Hakuryuu following. Sometimes it's better to let Hakuryuu take point, but this time, when it's all by feeling, Judal is the best chance they have. Darkness creeps in slowly, hard to notice through the dim of the trees closing in on them, until suddenly it's pitch black around them.

Judal finally slows down, leaning against a tree to catch his breath. He can hear Hakuryuu doing the same, taking sharp short breaths in the night chill.

"Sorry," says eventually, once he's calmed down. Hakuryuu's still trying to breathe properly, and he realizes belatedly that running off with barely any warning, in what probably seemed like a random direction, was not a good idea. Welp, whatever. He already did it. They'll live.

Hakuryuu nods, breathing in deeply a few more times. "I figured you had a reason."

"It wasn't safe there."

"And here?"

"Moderately. Safe enough for now, I guess," he decides.

"Thank you," Hakuryuu says.

In the heavy darkness he can feel Hakuryuu shift closer, fingers twining in his. There's warm breath on his cheek, Hakuryuu's breathing still somewhat uneven, and Judal's own breath catches in his throat. Something's...different, in the way it feels, but he can't quite place it.

A pause, where everything feels wound tight like a spring, and Hakuryuu eventually backs down.

"I do appreciate it," he says, and Judal feels like he was robbed of something he didn't quite know he wanted.


	2. Chapter 2

Judal has never been so happy to see civilization, even if they can't get too close. It's at least the promise of cleanliness and fresh food and safety. Well, not safety, not anymore. But he can still be hopeful.

Hakuryuu shifts next to him, pulling his jacket tighter around him. The wind cuts through, unseasonably chilly, and Judal hates every part of the wilderness. He's jealous of all his spoiled pokemon, sitting comfortably in their climate controlled pokeballs. What he wouldn't give to be warm…

"Are you sure we can't crash in the Pokemon Center for the night?" he asks, despite knowing the answer.

"Judal…" Hakuryuu begins, shaking his head. "You're not that stupid."

"I know. I just wanted to whine." Judal shuffles closer to Hakuryuu, trying to escape the wind. "Ugh, come on, don't make me look at the city if we're just going to watch it from afar."

Hakuryuu takes the hint and wraps an arm around his waist, pulling him close. "We'll go down later. It's just not safe to stay for long."

"I guess," he whines. He stays curled up against Hakuryuu, leeching his body heat while they watch for Al Tharman members, and plot their eventual route in. They pawned some TMs along the way, and Judal has the money stashed in a hidden pocket of his bag. They've got to get more food, for themselves and their pokemon. And Judal doesn't care how irresponsible it is; he's buying pokepuffs for Sparkle. Maybe some others too.

Hakuryuu eventually leads them back into the woods, retracing their steps back to the clearing they slept in the night before. It's just after sundown, the last light of the day fading quickly, and Hakuryuu sends out Lumos to help light the way.

Judal holds Sparkle's pokeball in his hand, debating letting him out. He's been so fussy lately, getting more frustrated as the days the spend traveling increase. Judal doesn't like seeing him so unhappy, and he's been trying to explain why they're doing this, but…

"Do you worry about us doing the right thing?" Judal asks, pokeball still clutched tightly in his hand.

"We couldn't stay there forever, not- Not with what we know, and what they've done to us," Hakuryuu says.

"No, I mean. Our pokemon. Sparkle has been so upset, I think he's not made for this sort of life…"

"Oh," Hakuryuu says softly, looking up from his planning to actually look at Judal properly. He's a little rough around the edges, from the days and weeks they've spent on the run, and yet he's still unfairly pretty. Maybe he can focus on that instead of how he feels like he's failed all his pokemon.

"Judal, it would have been worse if you left them behind. They'd be heartbroken without you," he tells him. "It won't be like this forever."

Judal shrugs. "Whatever, I know. I was just being stupid," he says, trying to backtrack. This is actually much more of an emotional conversation than he's really ready to have right now. Time to escape. "Leave Lumos out, okay? I'm letting Sparkle out."

Sparkle, predictably, goes right for his bag. "Hey fatass, I'm getting you more treats when we go into town. But they're not here yet."

A whine. "Yeah, you know what I'm saying, don't act like that. Just cause you don't like it doesn't mean it's not true," Judal tells him, ruffling the fur on his head. Sparkle crawls into his lap and chirps softly, before curling up, resting his head on his tail. It's cute and comforting, and Judal focuses on petting him instead of the crushing worry holding onto the corners of his thoughts.

x･x･x

Hakuryuu works magic on his hair, somehow, coiling most of the braid on his head and pinning it up until Judal can barely recognize himself. He's got a snazzy hat on and colored contacts, and he stares at the mirror in his hand in shock.

"How'd you do that?" he finally manages to ask.

"Hakuei always made me help her with her hair," Hakuryuu explains. "And she had to have it completely out of the way while riding, so I just...did something like that. But more. Because you have too much hair."

"I do not!"

Hakuryuu laughs. "It looks good on you, but it's still a lot. Try not to lose your hat, alright?"

Judal grins at him and goes digging through his bag. Hakuryuu can laugh at his hair all he wants, he knows it's fabulous. And now it's his turn to make Hakuryuu less conspicuous. He knows he's got some makeup in here still, somewhere underneath food wrappers and pencils and- A-ha, success!

"Your turn!" he says, pulling out a tube of concealer and his foundation.

"My turn?"

"Come on Hakuryuu, you can't think you fit in any more than I do. I've gotta cover up those scars," he explains and sighs. "Even if it pains me to do it! We all have to make sacrifices."

Sparkle chirps from his side and he glances down. "Hey, I thought you were past the stage of sneaking out of your ball!"

Hakuryuu shakes his head. "He's spoiled. I can't believe you've been carrying makeup around this whole time."

He cocks his head. "Really, Hakuryuu? You really can't believe that?"

"I try to have faith in you," he answers, and lets Judal get to work on covering his scars.

Judal pushes Hakuryuu's hair out of the way, tucking some behind his ears, and swallows shakily. He's in too deep. Hakuryuu doesn't seem to notice though, and Judal focuses on makeup and their plans and ignores how much he'd rather be kissing his scars instead of covering them up. It's not his best work, but Judal does his best while reveling in this rare opportunity to have his hands all over Hakuryuu's face.

Judal backs up some to look at his handiwork and grins. "There you go!"

Hakuryuu takes a mirror out and looks at himself, one hand drifting up to touch his cheek.

"The texture isn't quite right but hey, I did what I could. I covered 'em up enough that no one should notice unless they're feeling up your face, and at that point I think we've got some other problems, you know?"

He nods. "Thank you. It's just...odd to look at."

"Yeah. You look like Hakuyuu that way," Judal says, and immediately regrets it. Hakuryuu's face drops, and his shoulders tense, and Judal wants to punch himself. What a fucking moron.

"We should get going," Hakuryuu says tightly. "Sparkle can't walk with us."

"I know," he says, calling his pokemon back.

Their walk to town is silent, and Judal hates the uncomfortable air between them. Sometimes he fucking hates himself. He shoves his hands in his pockets to give them something to do instead of stressing over his pokeballs being so far from his reach. They're just in his bag, but it still feels too far away. He likes to feel them, their energy giving a subtle pulse when he holds them. It's usually comforting.

Judal loosens up when they finally make it into the city, the sprawling streets and towering skyscrapers of Saffron City comforting him in their own way. There are enough people that Judal feels like they can actually blend into the hustle and bustle of the crowds, and he breathes easier this way.

He slips away from Hakuryuu to pop into a pokemon bakery, nestled between a hair salon and a shitty souvenir store. Responsibly, they should stick together and just get things done quickly. But he promised Sparkle and the rest of them treats, and he can't actually bring himself to disappoint them.

He should have told Hakuryuu, but he keeps thinking about how closed off he's been since earlier, and Judal isn't quite ready to try to fix what he broke.

They picked a good day though, Judal decides. The bakery is packed enough that no one pays attention to him nabbing pokepuffs. He pays for most of them, passing over a portion of their limited funds to the smiling counter girl. Sparkle better be damn happy with these things; they're even more gourmet than the last fancy ones he bought.

Someone grabs his wrist when he leaves the bakery, dragging him into a nearby alley. Fuck, fuck fuck fuck he can't believe he's caught already this can't be-

"Are you an idiot?" Hakuryuu asks him, frustrated and tense. Judal breathes a sigh of relief. It's just Hakuryuu. Pissed off, but not gonna torture him. That's good.

"Judal!" he hisses.

"What? I thought it was rhetorical," he answers, shrugging.

Hakuryuu groans and Judal feels the grip on his wrist loosen. "Why would you wander off without warning me?"

"I told you I needed to get pokepuffs," he says.

"I know that," he snaps. "But I assumed, wrongly I suppose, that you would tell me when and where you were going."

Judal twists his hand to grab Hakuryuu's and pulls him closer. "I didn't realize you were so needy," he says, grinning.

Hakuryuu sighs. "Don't be an asshole."

"Can't help it!"

He pushes Judal away and brushes himself off. "Please don't make this more difficult than it has to be. We're here for supplies and a quick trip to the research lab on the edge of town."

"Yeah, I know, I know. But I was getting errands done. You know. To save time."

"Just don't do it again," he says, but Judal is consoled by the familiarity in his voice and face again. Hakuryuu doesn't look like he's been crushed and broken now, and Judal is going to do his damn best to keep it that way. If he can keep his stupid mouth shut.

"Judal, are you listening?" Hakuryuu asks, and he shakes his head. Shit, Judal hadn't even realized that Hakuryuu had started talking again.

"Sorry. Say it again?"

Hakuryuu nods, and it's a relief to not see judgment or anger from him. "I think we'll be able to find some useful information in the research lab. It's open to the public, and if we're subtle and blend in we might be able to get some intel on what they're up to in this area."

Judal shifts a bit, listening. "But supplies second, right? I don't want to go in there carrying a whole bunch of shit."

"Exactly. Which is part of why I didn't want you wandering off to do your own thing."

"They're not gonna take up that much space."

"Judal-"

"Yeah, I know, we already had this argument. I won't do it again," Judal interrupts, waving a hand. "So let's get a move on, before you end up too stupid and nervous to do anything."

Hakuryuu groans. "You're really not helping. But you're right about doing it quickly. I don't want to spend all day here."

Judal hefts his bag back onto his shoulder and grins. "Got it! Lead the way."

He nods in response and turns, weaving through busy city streets and back alleys with the confidence that Judal loves so much. Judal just follows along, trusting in Hakuryuu's ability to get them where they need to be.

They stop near the edge of a business district, right near another residential area, and Judal stares at the research lab in front of them. It's nondescript and peaceful outside, quiet without seeming too off-putting, and that alone is enough to weird him out.

Hakuryuu breathes in deeply. "We're normal civilians, here for a research project," he says, mostly to himself.

Judal nods. "I got it the first time."

"Civilians are more than welcome. Al Tharman makes sure they seem open and available. This isn't abnormal."

Judal grabs his hand and Hakuryuu squeezes it back tightly, just for a moment, before releasing. "Sorry. Let's go."

It's a bit jarring to walk in like nothing's wrong. Judal's pretty sure he's been to this lab before, for some reason or another, but he was greeted with much more fanfare then. This time they're asked to sign in at the front desk and pay a small fee, and then given info pamphlets. It's surprisingly simple, just like Hakuryuu said.

They play the part of interested students, carefully reading over their pamphlets while Hakuryuu asks the occasional question. Judal falls slightly behind, eyeing the various scientists milling around, and watches for anyone that could an issue. So far, no problems, but he's still on edge.

Hakuryuu does well under pressure, calm and collected even as Judal gets more and more stressed the longer they spend in the lab. He wants to scream and run out, or even just turn himself in before the crushing worry smothers him. Inevitably they'll get caught. Inevitably Al Tharman will catch up with them. What's the point in fighting any of it? He should just-

"Thank you for you time," Hakuryuu says to the receptionist. "May I keep the pamphlets?"

"Oh, of course, darling," she says. "You two have a nice day!"

Judal doesn't breathe right until they're blocks away, back in the bustle of the main street of town. He can still smell the crisp antiseptic cleanliness of the lab and he feels like he's being watched, even out here, the low afternoon sun reminding him instead of the blinding whiteness of the secret labs hidden deep underground, away from the general public. And then there's the overwhelming scent of people and pokemon that aren't his everywhere, so much noise that he feels trapped and antsy between the towering buildings, but it's still better than the sterility of the research lab. He doesn't feel like Al Tharman is going to catch him at every turn.

"We should get lunch somewhere," Hakuryuu says, and then leans up to whisper in Judal's ear. "It would look strange to immediately ditch town."

He nods. Food. He can do that. "Can I let out Sparkle?"

"Maybe. Do you think he's distinctive enough to call attention to us?"

Judal shakes his head. "That's why I suggested him."

"Alright. Any food preference?"

"Simple," Judal says, digging through his bag. He finally feels right when his fingers brush Sparkle's pokeball, and it's a relief to let him out.

Sparkle runs around their ankles, nearly tripping them both in the process, before whining to be picked up. "Okay, okay, you needy baby. You wanna ride on my shoulders?" Judal asks, and gets a happy chirp in reply.

"You spoil him," Hakuryuu says as Sparkle jumps from Judal's arms to lay across his shoulders.

He shrugs and Sparkle grumbles, trying to get comfortable. "Yeah, but he's so cute I can't help it. Isn't that right?"

Hakuryuu just laughs, and everything starts to right itself. Sparkle is soft and warm, a comfortingly familiar weight across his shoulders, and Judal pets him to bring himself back down to reality. This is good. He's still stressed, but he has Sparkle.

Lunch is a tense affair. The food is good but Judal watches the clock, fearful that they're lingering too long, and eventually Hakuryuu nods. Time to go. Casually. Sparkle is asleep, one paw dangling on his chest while he's half curled across his shoulders, so Judal has to move slowly. It keeps him from panicking more.

x･x･x

Once they're in the clearing, Judal nearly flops on the ground. "Today was so much, Hakuryuu! So fucking much."

Hakuryuu looks up from looking through his bag. "I think it went well."

"It was still stressful! Fucking shit, I never want to be that close to all those stupid Al Tharman- what's that?"

Hakuryuu looks all too proud as he sorts through the papers in his hands. "I swiped a few things off some desks. I don't know how useful they'll be, but I tried to glance over them before taking them."

"You're amazing, you know that?"

"We didn't just go into a highly guarded research lab to read some pamphlets, Judal," he says patiently, but he can see Hakuryuu's pleased smile anyway.

"Well yeah, I know that," he says. "I'm still impressed, alright? Enough that I might share some of my pokepuffs with you."

Hakuryuu sighs. "I don't want to know how much you spent on those, do I?"

He shrugs. "Probably not. Hey fatass, you want some treats?" he asks Sparkle, who comes running over. He crashes into Judal in excitement, playfully nipping at his fingers in hopes of getting treats faster.

"Hey hey, calm down! I'm still getting them out of my bag! If you bite me I'm keeping them all to myself."

Sparkle rolls over and lays on his back, fuzzy belly looking temptingly soft to pet. "I know better than to touch that," Judal says, laughing. He pulls out a strawberry pokepuff and Sparkle jumps back up, nearly knocking it out of his hands. He's practically glowing with excitement as he chows down, devouring the treat and whining for another.

Judal pats his head and hands him another, smiling as Sparkle eats. This is still good and calm.

Huh. When he thought that Sparkle was glowing with excitement he meant it as a metaphor. Now he's not so sure. There's a light around him, bright enough that Hakuryuu looks up from feeding his pokemon, and stops what he's doing.

Judal had been half convinced that Sparkle just didn't want to evolve, but-

The glow gets even brighter, covering his whole body, and Judal watches in awe as he changes. He doesn't have any evolution stones on him, and they're not in a cold enough climate for a Glaceon, which leaves it to only a few options. He's excited and a little scared; he's had Sparkle his whole life and he hates change. Sparkle has always been a constant.

The light fades and there's a trilling chirp, different than before but still similar enough to before that it reads "Sparkle" in his head. That's good, and-

Oh. Sparkle jumps into his lap, rubbing against his cheek, and Judal grins.

"You spoiled loving baby. I can't believe you," he says, and there's just more trilling. Of course he should have expected Sylveon, even if it does bring some warm fuzzies to his chest.

Hakuryuu looks at Sparkle, who's happily jumping around and licking Judal's face. "You are not going to be able to bring him to the next town," he says, half dazed, and Judal can't help but laugh.


	3. Chapter 3

happy new year everyone! anyway, I feel like starting it out with a new chapter is a great idea, you know? this was one I struggled with writing because I am just...really bad at describing certain things, but I think it turned out nicely in the end :D and there's some nice fluff towards the end~

just a heads up for this chapter: it contains implied body horror and medical torture. nothing too graphic, but it's there.

* * *

"Hey, you gonna let me look at those at all?" Judal asks, peeking over Hakuryuu's shoulder. Between Sparkle evolving and a decent night's sleep, he feels more than good enough to get involved with whatever Hakuryuu's found, and he doesn't want to be left out of the plans.

Hakuryuu looks up. "Of course. I didn't realize you wanted to."

He shrugs. "Eh, why not? I mean, I might know some details they're referring to that you don't get."

The late morning sun shines through the thick trees around them as they read. Judal almost immediately regrets his choice; reading through the thick scientific language bores him nearly to tears. Sparkle is bouncing around the clearing with Zagan, trying to nuzzle the Phantump as he floats around. It's cute. And it looks a hell of a lot more fun than the research he signed himself up for.

Judal skims the papers, hoping for something slightly more interesting than the long list of supplies ordered. Oh look, the back order sheet. Who cares about this shit?

He sees "Absol Territory" on a page and pauses. Why the hell do they need _more_ Absols?

It looks like basic information at first, just a list of sightings, but goes on to describe how to track and catch them in more depth. And what kinds of characteristics to look for in "viable specimens." Judal feels sick to his stomach.

He's not sure he should read this.

The next few pages are more of the same, clinical language for all the experiments they plan on doing on different Absols based on their temperaments and abilities.

Judal thinks back to the Absol he used to know, the one that was always trapped in the underground labs for rounds of experiments, and shakes his head to try to clear his own memories of being under Al Tharman's "study." His hands ball into fists as he tries to ground himself, in the here and now of the woods, miles away from the sterile lab and handsy scientists.

Sparkle bumps his head against one of his hands, chirping and angling for some pets. He can do that. Sparkle is soft and warm and familiar, the same friend even after evolving. He doesn't like change, but this still feels right.

"You're so needy," he says softly, and Sparkle chirps happily in response, before crawling into his lap. "And you're a lot bigger. You really are a big fatass now."

Hakuryuu shakes his head. "Are you actually reading those or just playing around?"

Judal's shoulders tense, and he forces himself to laugh. "You know me, always fucking around!"

"Then hand them back over, please. I'll look through them, and you can feed everyone lunch," he says patiently, pulling his pokeballs out of his bag. They haven't all been out lately, between running around and hiding, and they're happy to finally have a chance to run around again.

"Sure, sure, sounds better than this boring stuff," Judal agrees, letting the rest of his pokemon out. If he focuses on this instead of those papers, he can just tune it out and pretend it isn't happening. Perfect. He makes sure the pokepuffs are sealed up tightly, or someone will get into them, and gets out the food and some bowls.

"Okay, I know you all love eating, so get over here and chow down."

Hakuryuu chuckles quietly before going back to reading, and Judal starts to feel normal again. Calm. Or at least not panicky and scared, which is the best he's going to get.

Sparkle is back in his lap, curled up and happily purring while full of food, when Hakuryuu finds something useful. Judal can feel the change in the air around him, tense and worried, and he isn't sure if he's ready for what Hakuryuu has found.

There's a rustling of papers, and then Hakuryuu is sitting next to him. "Do you mind going over some of this with me? I think it pertains to you."

He nods. "Yeah, no problem."

Hakuryuu points at a page and oh good, it's not the ones that Judal had to put down earlier. Hopefully it's just something he blew up at one point, not some horrible thing that may have been done to him. He takes a deep breath and takes the packet of papers from Hakuryuu, skimming down to the meat of the reports.

"Oh," he says softly.

"Judal?"

He shakes his head. "Nothing. It's nothing." It's the beginnings of a report about DNA testing and modification in Absol, and he feels the pit of his stomach drop. This is too familiar. This is too much like something he heard people talking about while he was strapped to a cold table, waiting on today's treatments, on whatever uncomfortably invasive thing was scheduled, and-

"Judal," Hakuryuu says, taking his hand. It's warm, it's familiar, and Judal squeezes back tightly.

"Yeah. Sorry."

"It's alright. I'm sorry if I upset you with this, but there's some things mentioned later on that I think-"

"Probably," Judal says, cutting him off. "I know what this is about."

Hakuryuu doesn't rush him, doesn't try to take his hand back, and just sits with him. It would be nicer if Judal wasn't trying to bring himself back to reality, but it's still comforting to have him there. It's good. It's Hakuryuu.

Sparkle is still in his lap, a solid comforting weight. Even if everything else is a mess he still has Hakuryuu and Sparkle and the rest of his pokemon, but for now he has to face this mess of memories.

"Alright. Lemme see what else is in this, cause I overheard a lot of this first bit actually happening," he says, trying to sound casual, and flips to the next section of the report. _Pokemon DNA Transfusions With Human Subject A_. Ah. Of course. This shit.

He takes another deep breath and reads on slowly, as the report outlines the experimental use of Pokemon (Absol) DNA in humans (Subject A), starting with transfusions of Absol blood augmented with biological experiments were thoroughly unsuccessful, leading to a weakening of Subject A with no positive changes in abilities. There's a lot of words that just make Judal's eyes glaze over - jargon this and overly complicated phrase that - but the implication of it all makes him feel sick to his stomach.

 _Those_ , he thinks, trying not to dwell on the horrible ache that settled in his bones for months afterwards, foreign blood fighting his own, and the never ending fuzziness in his head. Time blurred together, and now he almost feels the confusion creeping back into his thoughts, trying to pull him back down.

Sparkle chirps, breaking through the fog, and licks his hand.

"Cute, but moist," he tells Sparkle, and Judal hates how tight his voice sounds. He just has to get through reading this and helping Hakuryuu with it, and then he can block everything out again.

The next page lists the dates and times of blood transfusions, and Judal skims it. He knows how those went. The page after is more of the same, concluding the failures of the study, and the next page starts with something new. Judal reads the first few lines and has to pause to read over it again. He doesn't remember the details of this one.

It discusses grafting part of the Absol onto Subject A, and Judal can't remember that happening. He would know if there was some actual piece grafted onto his body...wouldn't he? He clutches at the papers, trying to see where they put it. Maybe there was a different Subject A. Maybe some other poor soul had to undergo this abuse. Maybe he's actually Subject B. Or C. Or-

Judal's head hurts as he tries to piece this info together, and he can barely keep reading. But he forces himself to, pushing forward even as the details get more graphic and disturbing, and it's somehow worse to read it all in the clinical, detached tone it's written in.

"That's disgusting," Judal says, and Hakuryuu squeezes his hand again.

"What part?" Hakuryuu asks

Judal laughs hollowly. "This whole thing, Hakuryuu, did you read all of this? They carved off part of Absol's horn because that's where the power comes from and then they just- They grafted it-"

He trails off, trying to compose himself. He wants to yell and scream and fight but he can't, he's on the run from the people who did this is the first place, and everything that hurts always leads back to them.

Judal nearly rips the reports to pieces, only Hakuryuu's grip on one of his hands keeping him from getting to that point. Sparkle shifts in his lap, obviously worried and uncomfortable, and it's him that brings Judal down from getting worse.

"I'm sorry," Hakuryuu says, obviously trying to help, and Judal tries laughing again.

"It's whatever. I mean, I forget stuff all the time, I'll probably forget this. Again. Hopefully," he finishes, sounding far more grim than he wants.

He doesn't want to know what comes next, what other experiments they did to him that he's forgotten, but there's also a sick need driving him to learn every horrible detail. That's fucked up.

Judal worries himself through the next page, which focuses on the Absol. He feels almost...guilty? He got out, and Absol didn't. It's unfair.

And then he has to look away again.

"Judal, we can take a break if-" Hakuryuu starts, before Judal cuts him off.

"It's fine. I'm fine. I just need. A moment," he says shortly, setting the papers down. Sparkle gets up and turns around, getting more comfortable in his lap, and Judal pets him absently. He's got to get himself back together.

Hakuryuu sits patiently again, waiting on him without complaint, and Judal tries to focus on that, instead of the people who experimented on him without his permission, trying to make him into something more and less than human.

He breathes in slowly and then back out, over and over, and thinks about Sparkle's soft fur under his fingers. It's shorter now, but denser, and Judal is slowly getting used to it. Alright. This is good. He can do this.

Judal picks the papers back up and skips ahead to the next section he's familiar with. _Vocal Modifications in Pokemon/Human Transplants_. He raises a hand to his neck, resting it on his heavy choker, and braces himself as best he can.

It starts like most of the other sections, with more scientific jargon explaining the overall plans. When he gets to a part that describes the surgery as minimally invasive, he can't help but laugh bitterly. Minimally invasive. Sure. That's why they sliced him up like a piece of meat.

There's a small document clipped to the page, and Judal looks at it to put off the inevitable. It's brief but- oh. It's a list of the Absols they had to operate on to pinpoint what parts of their vocal chords were responsible for perish song. He has a flash of memory to a horrible scene of twisted bodies on steel tables, white fur stained with blood, and Judal digs his fingers into his palms to try to block it out.

Well. At least they knew what they were doing when they cut him up.

Judal goes back to the main report and forces himself on. It delves into some details he really never wanted to fucking read about, and Judal skims it for his own sanity. Who needs to know what their vocal chords look like in gross, medical jargon specificity? Not him!

He catches something towards the end and nearly chokes. _Vocal modifications for Subject A successful._ Bull-fucking-shit. Judal clearly remembers waking up to somber Al Tharman members, the recovery period, the terrible soreness in his neck as useless scars healed, the frustration at nearly losing his voice for absolutely nothing, and he keeps reading to quell his curiosity.

 _Due to Subject A's temperament, it cannot be trusted with knowledge of this ability. Further behavioral modifications will be necessary for effective handling._

"Well that was more informative than I fucking needed. That's enough. I'm taking that break now," Judal declares, shoving the reports into Hakuryuu's hands. He needs to get up, walk around, and try not to think about any of this.

He jumps up and Sparkle tumbles out of his lap, whining. "Come on you big baby, we're going on a walk. Maybe you can work off some of those pokepuffs you stole out of my bag earlier."

"Judal-" Hakuryuu begins, and stops himself. He looks lost and pitying and Judal wants to punch something.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be back soon," he says, turning away and striding towards the woods. He just hopes Sparkle is keeping up.

x･x･x

Hakuryuu doesn't bring up the reports again, not when Judal comes back hours later and not in the following days, and he's grateful. He can't really thank him without bringing up the offending reports but hey, at least he's thinking it. That still counts.

They're stuck where they are, between plans, with enough food and supplies to live for a bit but no direction on where to go next. Judal doesn't want to live the rest of his life on the run but he can't risk ending up in Al Tharman's hands again, and Hakuryuu knows best when it comes to staying hidden.

He still chafes at sitting still for extended periods of time.

"Hakuryuuuuuu," Judal whines, rolling on the ground with Sniffles. Sparkle is napping off more pokepuffs, fatass that he is, and Leg tries to fly off every time she's out. He knows that she's just trying to get a feel for the perimeter and keep them safe, but she's too noticeable in this region. At least Sniffles knows how to behave and play with him.

"We're not moving today," Hakuryuu says, answering the question Judal hadn't even asked yet. Rude.

"You're rude. I could be asking anything and yet you just assume you know what I was gonna say," Judal says.

Hakuryuu looks down at him rolling, and raises an eyebrow. "Then what were you going to ask?"

"...just because this time I was gonna ask about where and when we're going next doesn't mean I'm always going to," he answers petulantly. "You're still rude."

"I am just at a loss," Hakuryuu admits. "I don't know what to do next. I thought I'd find more from the lab but instead…"

Judal shrugs. "I know. You wouldn't be keeping us here for no reason."

There's a pause, and Hakuryuu smiles. "I don't give you enough credit for figuring things out on your own."

"Yeah, I'm pretty much the best," he agrees, and Hakuryuu sits down next to him. They fall into a comfortable silence, Hakuryuu reading while Judal plays with Sniffles until Sparkle crawls all over him, begging for more attention.

"You know, it's sometimes amazing what a spoiled baby Sparkle is," Judal points out, and Hakuryuu shakes his head.

"No it isn't. You've spoiled him rotten every day of his life."

"I have not!"

"You're right. You made him eat regular food with no treats for a couple weeks there and Sparkle almost tore your bag apart."

Judal frowns at Sparkle. "That's right! I cannot believe what a brat I let you become."

Sparkle chirps happily, and Judal ruffles his fur. He knows how this happened but that doesn't mean he has to like it...maybe he should feed Sparkle less pokepuffs, or even just give him them as a reward instead of just because…

Hakuryuu shakes his head again and goes back to his reading. "Let's see if you actually do anything differently."

Judal looks up at him, and makes the mistake of turning off his, albeit very limited, impulse control. "Hey, you wanna make out?"

Hakuryuu chokes and nearly drops what he's reading. "What?"

This isn't necessarily what Judal meant to say, but he's got to roll with it now. Whatever, he can't be held accountable for all his mistakes. "You know. We should smooch."

"I am not going to kiss you just because you're bored," Hakuryuu says firmly.

"Well it's not just 'cause I'm bored," Judal says. "I've wanted to for awhile."

He turns back to look at Judal, his cheeks nervously flushed. It's cute, and Judal tries to look as comforting and easy going as possible. And then Hakuryuu carefully herds Sniffles and Sparkles off Judal and nearly pounces on him.

This is even better than Judal expected. Hakuryuu is needy on top of him, nipping at his lips and it's so nice to have the firm weight of someone else so close to him. Distantly, he hears Sparkle chirping excitedly, and tries to make a note to teach him not to interrupt this later.

"You're an asshole," Hakuryuu whispers in his ear before sucking on the lobe, and Judal moans loudly. He doesn't care how needy he sounds, he's wanted this for so long and now it's happening, and Judal twists his fingers in Hakuryuu's belt loops to yank him closer.

"Shoulda noticed I wanted you sooner," he finally manages, angling himself to give Hakuryuu better access his neck and shoulders. Hakuryuu pulls back instead and Judal whines.

"Can I take this off?" Hakuryuu asks, tapping on the heavy choker. Judal nods, rolling over slightly so Hakuryuu can reach the clasp in the back. He trusts Hakuryuu more than anyone not to judge him for Al Tharman caused scars.

There's some shifting and then the almost constant weight leaves his neck, and Judal is reminded of how much easier it is to breathe without it on. And then Hakuryuu leans back down, peppering his neck in kisses and nipping at it, and Judal forgets any hesitations he had about this.

Hakuryuu kisses down his neck, onto his shoulders, and oh fuck, he really has wanted this too. Maybe Judal was the stupid one for not saying anything sooner, but-

He leans up to nip at Hakuryuu's ear and grins at the sinfully pleased noise he makes in response. This is good. This is what he wanted, this closeness and back and forth, and Hakuryuu laughs happily.

"You're needy," Hakuryuu points out.

"So?" Judal asks, trying to pull Hakuryuu back down for more kisses.

"It's nice to be wanted," he says. "I'm not used to it. And I didn't quite expect it from you."

Judal laughs and nuzzles his cheek. "Are you blind?"

" _Really?_ " Hakuryuu asks incredulously. "Why are you such a dick?"

"In hindsight, that could have been worded better," he says. "Sorry."

Hakuryuu shakes his head and kisses him briefly. "You're lucky I like you."

Judal can't help but laugh again, dragging him down for a better kiss.


	4. Chapter 4

this chapter brought to you by cheap chinese take out and ke$ha, and also me crying into my laptop because fight scenes are hard. but I had a lot of fun with this, because we finally get to introduce another important character :D

also, I'm gonna be trying to update more than once a month, but January was my birthday month so I was busy. sorry everyone ;w; but I made this this is longer chapter to make up for the wait!

* * *

Hakuryuu shakes him awake, eyes wide and worried. "We have to move," he hisses, and Judal blinks up at him. He hasn't seen Hakuryuu this scared since the night they left Al Tharman.

"Okay. Yeah. Let's- yeah. Sorry, just-" he yawns widely and pushes himself up. "Just trying to wake up a little."

"We don't really have time for that."

"I figured, just. Shit, I was dreaming about something like this, actually," Judal tells him, dreams coming back to him in bits and pieces. Some masked members, running towards them, shocked but pleased by their discovery, when really they were just looking for-

"Absol," Judal says. "They're looking for Absol, the one from the experiments. We're just in their path. We have to go."

Hakuryuu hands him his bag. "That's what I was trying to tell you. I heard-"

"This way," Judal says firmly, and takes off. Hakuryuu is right on his heels, crashing through the thick trees in the pitch black of night, and Judal reaches back to grab his hand. He can't lose Hakuryuu.

Judal runs forward and then doubles them back around, circling their old camp to cut a different path, as he feels a tug in that direction. Something is there, something he actually wants to see, and he runs towards it.

"Judal-" Hakuryuu begins, out of breath and worried and Judal just wants to keep him safe, get them out of trouble. "Judal, I don't think we should go this way."

"Trust me."

"I do. But this is the way-"

They make a turn and end up in another wide open space, with a tiny sliver of moon casting low light on the area. Judal's eyes adjust to it quickly and then he sees her across the clearing, the Absol that Al Tharman is looking for. She's crouched down, licking at - a wound, maybe? - and Judal lets go of Hakuryuu's hand to slowly walk towards her.

"Judal," Hakuryuu says again. "This isn't a good idea."

"I can't just leave her here," he hisses back. "Al Tharman wants her."

"I'm sure they do, but this is where I heard the noises coming from."

"Maybe it was just her."

"Judal. You know better than that."

He ignores Hakuryuu and keeps moving, trying to get closer without spooking her. Judal wants the chance to help her, get her free from Al Tharman's grasp like he now has, and-

"Stop!" someone yells, shoving branches aside as they enter the clearing, and Judal's head whips around to see who it is. There's sinking terror again, helplessness freezing him in place as he takes in the masks and uniforms of Al Tharman's field members.

"Belior Zauto, go!" Hakuryuu calls out, and that snaps Judal out of it. Time to fight.

He grabs Sparkle's pokeball and tosses it, calling out his name. He's not fighting Absol but if nothing else, Sparkle'll be able to take out anything else they throw at him. Sparkle stands proud and tall, ready for battle, and the rush of the fight pushes him on.

"Absol, take them out," the Al Tharman member orders. "Lady Gyokuen will be pleased to hear we caught the runaways."

"I ain't going back with you creeps," Judal says. "Sparkle-"

"Oh, is that what your stupid little Eevee turned into? Fitting for someone like you."

"What, because I actually take care of my pokemon?" Judal scoffs.

"More like it's useless and flashy," they snap back, and yell at Absol for running away again.

"What are you doing with Absol?" Judal asks them, trying to keep the worry out of his voice because no, he's not letting them know his feelings anymore, not this time, but-

They kick her, shoving her into battle, and she yelps in pain. The moonlight catches on her horn, and Judal can see the notch in it. This _is_ the Absol he thought it was. He cringes.

"Now that we've found you again, she's even more valuable," they say. "Absol, slash that Sylveon and get it out of the way!"

Sparkle dodges to the side, using his speed as an advantage, while Absol limps forward. She's favoring one side; she definitely has an injury of some sort. Her trainer yells at her when the move misses, telling her to listen better and stop fucking around.

"Sparkle, try to give Absol a helping hand," Judal instructs, and Sparkle nods before rushing forward. Absol trills loudly, trying to avoid Sparkle, and there's a sickening crunch when the two collide. Sparkle isn't the most skilled at helping, but it's still frustrating to watch.

"You don't even know how to fight!" they yell, and Judal can't tell if it's directed at him or Absol.

"Fuck you!" he yells in response, because it's rude either way. He needs a better strategy, but he's never been good at anything passive. Judal's method is to hit fast and hard before his opponents have a chance to respond, and Sparkle learned from him. Hakuryuu would know what to do, but he has his own fight to deal with; he can't always fix Judal's messes. This one is on him.

Sparkle dodges another half hearted attack from Absol, and he looks to Judal in confusion. "Yeah buddy, I know this isn't your usual," he answers, and watches Absol for inspiration. She's not trying to hurt Sparkle, but her trainer doesn't seem to realize it. With every slash and tackle she gets further away from them, putting herself closer to Judal until-

Absol trills loudly again, running to Judal's side. She's almost hissing at her former trainer, fangs bared, and Judal wants to laugh. Of course she wouldn't stay loyal either. Judal manages to pull a potion out of his bag quickly and he feeds it to her while their opponent is still spluttering stupidly.

"That's right, you tell that fucker," he says. "You can call me stupid all you want but at least my pokemon don't leave in the middle of a battle."

The Al Tharman members merely glares, throwing out another pokeball. A Houndoom rushes forward, ready to fight. "It doesn't matter. I'll take both of you back in the end."

"Kinky," Judal says, and glances down at Absol. "I don't think I need to tell you how to fight."

She lunges at Houndoom, slashing and calling on psychic energy to cut deeper. When she fights, she doesn't pull her punches, and Judal is so glad she wasn't trying to hurt Sparkle earlier.

Judal looks over to see that Hakuryuu is still holding his own against the other Al Tharman member, Belior's blade slicing at their Murkrow whenever it can despite the bird trying to outrun it, and Judal can't help but be proud. Hakuryuu is always stunning to watch in battle, chillingly serious when he needs to be with every move planned out.

It's riveting, and Judal trusts Sparkle and Absol to handle a single Houndoom without him babysitting them. Sparkle doesn't necessarily need commands in battle most of the time, and Absol isn't technically his pokemon to control. He thinks. Whatever, he'd rather watch Hakuryuu be a badass. There's a satisfying squawk from the Murkrow when Beliol finally lands a clean hit, and Judal cheers.

He glances back to check on his own fight, and Judal's eyes widen when he sees the way Absol is standing. He calls Sparkle back to his ball without a second thought. "Hakuryuu!" he yells, dashing over to him.

"Jud- what are you doing?" he asks as Judal grabs Belior's pokeball and pulls them back in.

"Cover your ears," he hisses, and he's relieved that Hakuryuu listens without question. Judal can hear the beginnings of the deadly melody as Absol trills and roars, weaving destruction with her call, and he shoves his fingers further into his ears to block it out.

Judal watches with a sick sense of awe as the Al Tharman members collapse around them, crumpling like wet paper as Absol's song causes them to expire. It's impressive and terrifying and he's so proud of her. But he still waits until she's stopped singing for a bit, until she's carefully padded over to him and Hakuryuu, before he uncovers his ears.

"You're not gonna try to melt my brains with that, are you?" he asks, half joking, and she trills happily at him. "That could mean yes, but I guess I'll have to trust you."

Absol nuzzles against his hand, and he pats her on the head. Her fur is matted in places, and he's pretty sure she's malnourished from however long she's been on the run. She didn't have Hakuryuu taking care of her like he's had.

"What was that?" Hakuryuu asks cautiously.

"Perish Song," Judal answers. "It does what it sounds like. It's- it was mentioned in the report. You know, it's what they tore my fucking neck apart for."

"Oh," he says. "I see. I can- I can see why they would want that."

"It's a nasty little attack, isn't it? It's not always so sudden, and it usually only affects pokemon, but Absol is special," Judal explains. "It's why they used her."

Hakuryuu takes his hand. "I see."

Judal shrugs, but squeezes back. "It's whatever at this point. Hey, do we have any more pokeballs anywhere?"

"I don't think so. Why?"

"Guess she's gonna have to walk, huh Labsol?" She hisses at him. "Okay, apparently not Labsol. I'll come up with something better later then."

Hakuryuu looks worried, looking over the two of them. "You know this isn't the end of this," he finally says, gesturing at the bodies in the clearing. "Especially with Absol. We're going to be even more of a target."

"Yeah, I know. But I'm not gonna stop fighting, so they'll have to deal with me. And Absol. And you, I guess," he says, trailing off at the end. He hopes this isn't Hakuryuu's roundabout way of telling him he's ditching him.

"I can't leave you to your own devices," Hakuryuu says. "And I'm not giving up. On any of this."

Judal grins. "Good! You can't get rid of me that easily anyway."

x･x･x

Absol nudges his face the next day, and Judal nearly hits his head into her horn when he tries to roll away. Why is something bothering him? Oh, right. Absol.

He sits up, carefully avoiding running into her more, and stretches. He aches from the near constant running the night before, the struggle over the uneven terrain in the pitch black of night, finally slowing down once the sun rose to make camp. Something smells good though, and Judal tries to find its source.

"Are you making breakfast?" he asks Hakuryuu.

He nods. "I thought we deserved some warm food after all the stress. I had a few tins of sausages in the bottom of my bag."

"I love you," Judal tells him, shuffling over to the spread of food. It's simple but smells delicious, and it's so much better than the granola and protein snacks Hakuryuu's been feeding them lately.

"That was easy."

"I'm an easy man," Judal says around a sausage.

Hakuryuu laughs at that. "No you're not. You're picky and a pain in the ass."

"Please don't hesitate to point my flaws out first thing in the morning every day. It really helps me get going."

Absol trills and nudges his bag, trying to get it open. "Oh what, are you gonna be a fatass like Sparkle and try to steal all the treats? You're really lucky you're underfed right now and I need to fatten you up."

Hakuryuu tries to hand him some healthier pokefood, and Judal shakes his head. "It's better for her," Hakuryuu tries to reason, but Judal is having none of it.

"Yeah, but she's never been spoiled before!" Judal argues, pulling a pokepuff out of his bag. It's one of Sparkle's favorites, but he's just going to have to learn to share.

"Aren't you trying to make Sparkle less spoiled?"

"Um, this isn't Sparkle, Hakuryuu. Absol is pure and gentle and deserves love."

"Absol has the horrifying ability to murder people with her voice," Hakuryuu says.

Judal hugs her. "Don't talk about her like that. She's a good baby," he coos, rubbing her head and offering the pokepuff to her. She trills and snatches it out of his hand, chowing down immediately and making happy noises as she does.

Hakuryuu shrugs. "I don't think she's less deserving of love. I'm just saying she's not the most pure and gentle when it comes to pokemon we have."

"Hakuryuu, Beliol is a sword. That's pretty dangerous."

"They're a ghost pokemon possessing a sword," Hakuryuu corrects, looking very put out. "And why do you only call them by the first half of their name?"

Judal laughs. "Because it's a stupidly long name and I'm lazy," he answers, before pulling out another pokepuff, and Absol eats it straight out of his hand. Good to know that all his pokemon seem to want to be spoiled with pastries. He pets her some and finds more matted fur. Judal frowns, before digging through his bag for fur brush. He's pretty sure the one he uses on Sparkle and Sniffles will work for her too.

She whines when he tugs on knots but sits still, letting Judal work every matted mess out of her fur, slowly returning the sleek shine to it. He has to stop after sections, bribing her with more pokepuffs to stay in place, but after a few hours she finally looks healthy again. Still on the skinny side, but that will get better in time. He pats her head again, proud of himself and happy for her.

Hakuryuu leans over and kisses Judal's cheek. "She looks good."

"Doesn't she though? I wish I could properly clean her fur but I think she'll groom herself. Or maybe Sparkle will, if he's not too lazy."

"I think Sparkle might be jealous that she's hogging your attention and pokepuffs."

Judal wraps his fingers around Sparkle's pokeball. "I mean, I'm allowed to love my other pokemon too…"

Hakuryuu shakes his head. "I'm not saying you're doing anything wrong. I'm just reminding you that Sparkle is spoiled and sometimes unreasonable. He takes after his master in some ways."

"I could be more spoiled if you loved me more."

"I had food waiting for you when you woke up!"

Judal pulls him into a kiss, lingering until he's breathless and has to break away for air, and grins. "I really appreciated it."

Hakuryuu's cheeks are flushed and he ducks his head to avoid meeting Judal's gaze. "I'm glad. I'm not doing this every day, though."

He shrugs and tosses Sparkle's pokeball out. Maybe he can bond with Absol instead of just being jealous and extra needy. Sparkle crawls all over Judal first, sniffing him and looking far too put out. "Spoiled brat," Judal chides. "Go make friends with Absol instead of getting offended."

Sparkle approaches her hesitantly, and Absol's fur stands on end with nerves as Sparkle gets close. Judal just watches as the two try to get to know each other, and he laughs a little more than he should when they sniff each others butts. His laugh startles them, and they jump backwards before approaching each other again. Sparkle's been all leg ever since he evolved, so when he jumps it's impressively high.

There's some circling, and then eventually Absol bows her head. Sparkle nuzzles against it, thankfully smart enough not to mess with her horn, and Judal breathes out in relief. That's good. That's kind of better than he was expecting.

"Since they're doing well, do you want to go over some of these maps with me?" Hakuryuu asks. "I don't want to stay here too much longer."

Judal looks away from them and considers, finally deciding to let them do their own thing. Sparkle and Absol are both loud enough that he'll notice anything going wrong, and so he goes to sit with Hakuryuu. "Not like I have a sense of direction, but why not?"

"I want your opinion on where we could head next," Hakuryuu explains. He draws a route north with his finger, tapping a town at the end. "This is far enough out of the way that Al Tharman may have less influence, but it's a long trip, especially by foot. And I'm not positive that they haven't infiltrated the area yet. Next," he says, gesturing to the west, "is still definitely home to Al Tharman, but it's a big enough city that we could blend in for awhile before going elsewhere. Not long, just a few weeks at most."

"Then why bother?" Judal interrupts.

"Because we could get to other places from there. It's a waypoint for all routes west, and I think it would open up a lot of new options for us. It's not the only other choice though. I think this next one will be your favorite."

"Yeah? Hit me with it then, I wanna know what you think I'd pick," he says, grinning.

Hakuryuu pulls out another map and shows a route south on it, ending at the warm beaches of their childhood vacations. Judal opens his mouth to agree, but Hakuryuu starts explaining it before he can say anything. "If we go far enough south, I think we could settle in the island chain down there for awhile. They're not on the map because they're pretty far out of the way, but there are ways to get there once we're in one of the cities along the coast."

"You do know me," Judal agrees. "I liked going there as a kid."

"Al Tharman doesn't have much influence on most of the islands," Hakuryuu says. "But they're the furthest away, and we'd have to do a lot of backtracking to get even close."

"I like it. We should do it anyway," Judal says, stretching out until he's reminded of all the aches he has. It's fucking stupid, being on the run from everything, and he's ready to find a way out.

"It's a long trip. We'd have to double back for weeks, past home- er, where we ran from originally. It's riskier to travel that way, but-"

"But it would be better overall, right?" Judal finishes, and Hakuryuu nods.

"Yes. If we want the most stable, long term safety, it's the best option."

"And we'd be going on vacation! Forever!"

Hakuryuu shakes his head and sighs. "No, that's not at all what it means. We'd still have to find a way to support ourselves, which means at least one of us would have to get a job."

"Good thing I have you to be my sugardaddy," Judal says, slinging an arm around Hakuryuu's shoulders.

"You're such an asshole," he says, leaning into him. "But try to think logically, instead of just imagining the beaches and nice weather."

"But that's the best part," he whines.

"Judal."

"No, no, I know. I'll give it some thought, alright? I know you want to get moving soon, but we'll be safe here for the night," Judal says firmly.

Hakuryuu doesn't argue, just nods, and hands him the maps. "If you want to look over what kind of route options we have, you're welcome to these."

"Mmhm," Judal says. "I dunno if they'll actually help me, but I'll try."

"I always try to have at least some faith in you."

Judal pecks him on the cheek before getting up. "It's why I like you so much. And you know, your cute ass. Oh hey, no Sparkle, don't eat that!" Judal calls out. He's chewing on something, and it looks suspiciously like a rock.

Sparkle drops it and chirps at him, before running over. Absol pads over as well, less bouncy than Sparkle, and sits by his side calmly.

"Yeah, okay, no eating rocks. And no more pokepuffs for either of you today, we're going on another long trip and I'm trying to conserve what we have already," he tells them, patting them both on the head. Sparkle aggressively tries to crawl up his arm, back to his usual spot across Judal's shoulders, and this is when he realizes just how much bigger Sparkle is now. He's not sure he'll actually be able to let him ride around like that now. "No climbing on me right now," he tries to say, and Sparkle whines some.

Absol looks all too pleased with herself, and Judal isn't sure if he should be proud or worried for whatever she's got planned for Sparkle.

"Come on, I just gotta look at these maps," Judal tells Sparkle, and pats his lap. "Sit here for now, alright?"

Sparkle reluctantly settles for his lap, and Absol curls up against his side while he thinks things over.


	5. Chapter 5

no one should ever trust me with chaptered fics I am so fuckin sorry guys D: but seriously once more, with feeling, I'm gonna try to get this on a semi-regular update schedule. also, I've changed the rating to account for some of this chapter's content ;D

anyway, welcome back! sorry for the wait :C

* * *

Judal curls up against Hakuryuu, wide awake and needy.

"I'm supposed to be up keeping watch, and you should be asleep," he says, but wraps an arm around Judal anyway.

"Can't sleep," he explains, snuggling further into Hakuryuu's touch. "You're nice to snuggle."

"Better than Absol?"

"She has pointy bits," he says around a yawn. "And- and it's more intense, somehow, I'm just always so in tune to her that it gets to be a bit much sometimes. You help me calm down. It's just quiet."

Hakuryuu leans against him. "I'm glad I can help."

"Mm."

It's started getting colder at night, and Judal is glad they made the choice to head south. Winter isn't terrible; he loves running around and playing in the snow. But he doesn't want to be living outside when the temperature drops more. Absol is warm, but not that warm. They'll have to deal with the beginnings of it while they double back, though Judal is hoping they'll get through it quickly.

There's a crinkle of paper as Hakuryuu turns the page of his book, and Judal focuses on just the soft noises around them. Night sounds have always calmed him, and there's a nice buzz in the background from the trees. Probably bugs or something else rustling around, but nothing feels malicious.

He leans up to nip at Hakuryuu's neck, and grins against the soft skin there when Hakuryuu gasps.

"Yes?" Hakuryuu asks quietly.

"I wanted to see if you'd make noise," he answers honestly, and does it again. Hakuryuu gasps again and then pushes him away, despite Judal's complaints. "Whyyyyyy?"

"I'm being responsible," he says. "We're too close to towns again, and-"

"I could give you some stress relief," Judal interrupts, grinning up at Hakuryuu, and it widens as Hakuryuu's face flushes red.

"Don't talk like that," Hakuryuu manages, still flustered. "I know you well enough to know that you're just shitting with me."

"What if I'm not?" Judal shifts to look at him more clearly.

"Then we still shouldn't be fooling around in the woods," he says firmly.

Judal groans in frustration. "Look Hakuryuu, I'm not good with this whole….feelings and talking about them thing, so don't make me explain why I wanna stick my hands down your pants."

"Why are you like this."

He cackles. "You wouldn't have me any other way! Come onnnn," he whines, tugging Hakuryuu closer and into a kiss.

At least Hakuryuu stops complaining once he's kissing him, and it's so good to transfer all their stress and worries into something fun. Judal practically crawls into his lap, grinding up against him as he nips at his neck, and Hakuryuu's hands on his hips are solid and warm.

There's almost a power to it, to drawing needy moans out of Hakuryuu, and Judal grins against his neck. It's such a rush that he can't restrain himself; he squirms in Hakuryuu's lap until they're both gasping, Hakuryuu's cock straining in his pants while his own cunt is almost uncomfortably wet.

Yeah, this is what he wants. Something fun and distracting, something that isn't a fight for their lives, and Hakuryuu seems more than happy to join him. Maybe another time they'll go slower and he'll spend an entire evening worshipping Hakuryuu's scars, kissing every jagged edge until he knows how much Judal loves them, and just the thought that makes him needier. Judal fumbles with Hakuryuu's pants, frustrated because he just wants this now, and when did buttons get so difficult?

He grins when he succeeds and wraps a hand around Hakuryuu's cock, stroking it until he's fully hard and there's precum dripping from the tip. Judal leans back down to kiss him deeply, and they're equal parts breathless and desperate for more. Hakuryuu nips at his lips, sharp and possessive, and Judal makes himself stop touching Hakuryuu's dick so he can get out of his own pants.

"I didn't pack condoms," Hakuryuu tells him, pulling back and grabbing Judal's wrist. "You know, since they they didn't seem like something we could possibly need, and-"

Judal cuts him off. "It's fine, don't worry about it," he says, leaning in to kiss him again.

Hakuryuu frowns and keeps talking instead. "Safe sex is important, Judal, and there are some risks-"

"I'm not _diseased_ ," he tells him, put out. "Seriously, dude-"

"There are _other risks_ ," Hakuryuu stresses, clearly worried, and Judal just whines.

"I want your cock in me right now," Judal hisses, dragging Hakuryuu back down to kiss him. He finally stops complaining though, and that's what matters.

Judal manages to get out of his pants without any more hesitation and grinds right against Hakuryuu. One of Hakuryuu's hands slips down to rub his clit, teasing him until he's begging for more, and Judal is so glad he never learned to have shame. And then Hakuryuu slips a finger inside him and Judal grabs his shoulders, digging his nails in from the sensation. It's so intense and so good, even just this little bit, and now he wants all of Hakuryuu, as much as he can take and then some.

"Hakuryuu," he begs, squirming on his finger, hoping for more. "Come on, I know how hard you are, lemme feel you in me."

Hakuryuu's cheeks are flushed, either from arousal or embarrassment, but he's smiling either way. "You- you're so demanding."

"I _am_ ," Judal agrees, nipping at Hakuryuu's ears and cackling when he moans. "So you should give me what I want."

"I'm trying- I'm getting there," he says breathlessly. "I want to make sure you're ready."

Judal groans in frustration and shoves Hakuryuu's hands out of the way. Hakuryuu can take his time some other time, but for now he knows what he wants. Judal shifts closer, trying make sure he's got a good angle, and he wraps a hand around Hakuryuu's cock to guide it in.

It's tight but it's what he wanted, and he feels so wonderfully full with Hakuryuu in him. Judal grips Hakuryuu's hips to steady himself while he adjusts. to the stretch and slight ache.

"Hey," Judal says. He tries to grin at Hakuryuu casually but it feels like a stupid smile, and he can't even feel too silly.

Hakuryuu smiles back at him and reaches up to brush some of Judal's bangs out of his eyes. "Are you glad you got what you want?"

"I dunno, I think I need to try it out a little more first," he responds, slowly rocking his hips. Hakuryuu jerks against him, hands dropping to Judal's shoulders to hold on, and they try to find a rhythm that works for them. Even when it's not quite perfect, it feels so _right_ with Hakuryuu, like nothing like this ever has before, and Judal can't help how noisy he gets.

Hakuryuu works a hand between his legs again, light touches on his thighs until Judal is begging him to just please, please touch him, and gasping out Hakuryuu's name when he does. He's going to leave bruises on Hakuryuu's hips at this rate, but it's so intense, so stimulating it's almost painful, and Judal doesn't want any of it to stop. He's still trying to work his hips, to keep the rhythm they have going, but it's hard when his focus is on Hakuryuu's fingers working some sort of magic with his clit.

Judal relishes watching Hakuryuu lose his reserve too, once he's too tired and overstimulated to do anything but watch Hakuryuu bucking under him, thrusting into him without restraint. He grinds down, trying to somehow get more and less of Hakuryuu touching him all at once because it's too much, too much of everything that Judal can't take it, and for once, losing all control doesn't feel horrible.

He clenches around Hakuryuu and Judal tries to chuckle at the practically obscene noise that Hakuryuu makes, but it comes out as a needy gasp instead. He's so close, he realizes, from Hakuryuu's fingers on his clit and the overwhelming fullness of his cock, and he wants to come so fucking badly now that he's willing to beg for it.

"Hakuryuu," he whines in his ear, kissing and nipping at it as he does. "Come on, I wanna feel you come okay, cause I- I wanna."

Hakuryuu groans, thrusting deeper into him, and Judal grins against his neck. "You're filthy. That's- that's obscene," he says breathily, but he's still teasing his clit, pounding into him, and Judal spasms around him when he comes.

Judal slumps forward, still shaky from orgasm while Hakuryuu's trying to finish. "Yeah, come on, just keep using me," Judal whispers in his ear and he delights in the way Hakuryuu shakes against him. "I wanna make sure you feel good, Hakuryuu, _please_."

Apparently that was what Hakuryuu needed to push him over the edge and he finally comes, a shuddering mess moaning Judal's name. It's hot and perfect, and Judal doesn't care how wet and sticky he feels because of it, since that's kinda hot too, in its own way.

There's a bit of quiet between them where they're trying to regain themselves, with just their heavy breathing interrupting it. Judal knows he should get out of Hakuryuu's lap but he doesn't want to lose the closeness, even though his cunt aches and the stickiness is quickly feeling decidedly less sexy.

"That was nice," Judal finally says lamely, breaking the silence, and Hakuryuu laughs at him. "Don't laugh!"

"I'm laughing because I'm happy," he explains, and Judal can feel his cheeks heat up. How dare Hakuryuu say something so openly sweet? He can't take this.

"Whatever," Judal says flippantly, trying to hide his face by rolling off him. There's an almost pleasant feeling when Hakuryuu's cock slides out of him, but it's still so sensitive that it's uncomfortable at the same time. He's not sure he likes it. They'll have to try again, he guesses, and see how he feels next time.

Judal tries to snuggle up against Hakuryuu now that he's free, only to be stopped by...his own pants. What.

"You cannot sleep in the nude in a public space," Hakuryuu hisses, shoving Judal's pants at him. He whines but takes them, reluctantly pulling them on.

"This really ruins the whole afterglow, you know," Judal stays, before rolling back into Hakuryuu's arms.

"If you keep complaining I'll make you go sleep with Absol instead."

"That was a really bad way to say that."

"Oh, for fuck's sake-"

"You're the one who told me to fuck my pokemon."

"I did not!"

x･x･x

Judal wakes up to find Hakuryuu still curled up against him, soft and peaceful looking. It's so different from his usual serious attitude that Judal can't help but smile and pet his hair lightly. He wishes they could have been this close sooner, when they still had the comfort and stability of a warm bed to sleep in, but even on the uneven ground in the middle of the woods it's nice. It's like a little bubble of safety.

Absol nudges his arm, trying to join the warm cuddle. Judal pushes her back a little, trying to keep quiet and mostly still, but he hears Hakuryuu murmur and groan anyway.

"Sorry," Judal whispers, shifting again.

Hakuryuu just shakes his head. "Absol was licking my hand earlier. I've been up."

"No, you haven't been," he says. "You were laying there all peaceful, letting me pet your hair and looking like someone finally pulled that stick out of your ass."

"I am capable of joy, you know," Hakuryuu teases, shoving at him lightly before shifting out of cuddling him. Judal whines and tries to pull him back down, clinging to his arm. "You're so needy."

Judal manages to drape himself over Hakuryuu enough that it sort of counts as cuddling, and grins. "I like to be wanted."

Absol trills, crawling over to sit partially on Hakuryuu too. Judal ruffles the fur on her head, laughing, and Hakuryuu groans underneath them.

"I'm not a pillow for both of you," he says, shoving at Absol. "Especially not Absol, I think she's almost as heavy as you now."

"Good! She needed to put on some weight," Judal says, patting her on the head and grinning. "Isn't that right sweetie? You're enjoying all those pokepuffs aren't you?"

She nips at his hand, annoyed at the nickname. "What, I can't even call you sweetie? You just want Absol? Why do you have to be so boooooring?"

Hakuryuu manages to shift enough that Absol can curl up against his side instead, despite Judal still being mostly sprawled across his chest still. "She just seems to have very specific taste. You should respect that."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever…" he trails off. "You know I like to nickname everyone, though. I feel bad that she doesn't have one."

Hakuryuu leans up to kiss his chin, and smiles up at him. "I know. But she's happy with just Absol."

"Oh, I know. I just think it's boring."

"You are so rude," Hakuryuu tells him, shaking his head. "But if you get off of me, I'll make you some breakfast."

Judal rolls off immediately, narrowly avoiding crushing Absol's tail. "Do we even have real food right now?"

"I think we have some berries that I could mix with the granola with still have left. It would be at least a little more exciting."

"Mm, that does sound good. I mean, not a real meal, but I guess I can let it go this time," Judal says, grinning.

Hakuryuu doesn't even bother to answer, pushing himself off the ground to deal with breakfast. Judal watches him go while Absol moves to snuggle with him in lieu of Hakuryuu, and it's almost domestic. They're just in the middle of the woods instead of an actual house.

Well, not completely in the middle anymore. They're cutting closer to some towns on their route, since apparently they'd hit some more rugged terrain in Mt. Silver if they cut straight east. He's tried to convince Hakuryuu that they could handle it but he'll take the compromise of actually going into a city again for the longer route. It's still going to be a bit of a trip, but apparently New Bark should have some life in it.

Hakuryuu passes him a bowl, and Judal digs in before Absol gets too curious. She's taken to trying to eat his food if he's not careful, and he isn't really up to shooing her away this morning. She bumps her nose into the bottom of his bowl, trilling quietly, and tries to persuade him.

"Hakuryuu made this for me because he loves me more," he tells her, shoveling food into his mouth and sticking his tongue out at her in between bites.

"I actually made a mix for our pokemon too," Hakuryuu says. "If you want to let yours out, they're welcome to some."

Absol practically looks like she's smirking when Hakuryuu puts a small bowl of berries and kibbles in front of her, before happily chowing down on them. Judal still keeps his bowl close as he calls out the rest of his pokemon, while Hakuryuu sets out more food and does the same with his pokemon. They fall into the silence that comes with eating good food until they're satisfied and pleasantly full.

"I don't know how you made something so simple taste good," Judal says. "It's not fair. I can't even keep food at their base tastiness without messing them up."

Hakuryuu just shrugs, taking Judal's bowl back. "I just try to put things that are pleasing together."

"And then they're magically delicious!"

"That's not quite how it-" Hakuryuu begins, and stops himself as he notices Judal's grin. "Stop playing dumb."

Judal just laughs. "We gonna head out today? I want to get to civilization again!"

"You're always so excited about it until we get there," Hakuryuu points out, gesturing at him with a spoon. "Remember Saffron? You wanted to leave pretty quickly."

"We were in an Al Tharman lab in shitty disguises and I was kind of overwhelmed and paranoid. You know. The usual. No big deal, just existential dread!" Judal tries laughing and it comes out far too high pitched, nervous and stressed and he hates it, and he loves Hakuryuu all the more when he doesn't call him out on it.

Hakuryuu just cleans up quietly and moves onto going over the map once more, and Judal tries to pull himself down from feeling tight and stressed and worried again. Sparkle comes galloping over, a few bright red leaves clutched in his mouth, and crawls into his lap excitedly.

Judal pulls the leaves out, patting Sparkle on the head. "Did you find these nearby?"

He chirps happily and nods, nuzzling Judal's chin as he does so. It's Sparkle's idea of a present: brightly colored and mostly useless, and it's more comforting than anything else Judal could be doing right now. He pets Sparkle, trying to slow his breathing in time with Sparkle's, and he's feeling more like himself by the time Hakuryuu has their supplies packed up.

"I'm ready," Judal says, and Hakuryuu jerks his head over.

"I didn't want to rush you."

He shrugs and shoos Sparkle out of his lap. "Like I said, it's whatever. And I want to get moving anyway. But- eh, nevermind."

Hakuryuu just raises an eyebrow, until Judal breaks down and explains himself.

"We're not going anywhere too...public, right? I was going to leave Sparkle out of his pokeball today, too, since I kind of- you know, wanna spend more time with him too."

"I think we've got another day or two before we have to travel on actual roads again. You should be fine," Hakuryuu says. "I know Absol has been hogging your attention."

"She hasn't been hogging it. Sparkle just thinks I'm giving her more to spite him or something," Judal says, sticking his tongue out at Sparkle, and he growls playfully in response. "Maybe they'll get along better if they have to wander the world with us."


End file.
